Apparition of Knock - 1879

by Amyobala Key

It was approximately 8 p.m., Thursday, August 21st, 1879 and the rain was
pouring over the little village of Knock, Ireland, in County Mayo, in the
west of Ireland. Historically, this corner of Ireland had been the center
of poverty, famine, and misery. Evictions and emigration to the rest of
the world were commonplace. Mary McLoughlin and Mary Byrne, returning
homewards, walked beside their local church, the church of St. John the
Baptist. Toward the south gable they saw three luminous figures, one of
them resembling the Virgin Mary. The figures stood a little distance from
the gable wall about two feet above the ground. The witnesses made the
assumption that the others were St. Joseph and St. John, the Evangelist.
Some reports suggest that the figures were moving, though the 1936
testimony of Mary Byrne indicated that they were immobile. The figure of
St. Joseph was posed with an index finger raised, "as if he were
speaking." Mary Byrne left to notify her family. Soon their neighbors
had joined them, as the rain continued to fall, until there were a total
of fifteen official witnesses, their ages ranging from 5 to 75. The
Apparitional diorama soon included an altar with a lamb on it, in front of
a cross. A boy discerned angels over the altar. There were no sounds. The
Apparition lasted from 2 to 3 hours. Half a mile away, the luminous glow
appeared as a globe of light to a farmer.

No rain fell in the direction of the church gable, the ground remaining
perfectly dry. The Blessed Virgin was clothed in white robes, with a
golden rose on her forehead and a crown on her head. To her right stood
the figure, identified as St. Joseph, and to her left the figure
identified as St. John. Behind them was a simple altar on top of which
was a cross and a Lamb, and was surrounded by "adoring" angels.

Later investigators discounted the possibility of luminous paint or "a
magic lantern". A commission to study the Apparition was established by
the elderly Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. John McHale, within 6 weeks of the
event. Although he established that the witnesses were reliable and of
trustworthy character, he could not give a conclusion either for or
against the validity of the sighting. No findings were published. 57 years
later, in 1936, the new Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Gilmartin, instituted a
second Commission, with three of the original witnesses
still alive. The findings were positive. The witness, Mary Byrne, now
Mrs. Mary O'Connell was on her death bed when she gave evidence under
oath. She swore that the evidence was true, knowing that she would soon be
going before her God.

Years later, the Church officially supported the event, and in 1979, Pope
John Paul II visited Knock, on the centenary of the Apparition. It was
said that images of the cross, the lamb, and the altar symbolized the
death of Jesus. The fact that these images were behind those of Mary
suggested that the focus was on the Blessed Virgin as the ongoing mediator
with mankind. Knock has gained the status of an internationally
recognized Marian Shrine. Mother Teresa visited the Shrine in June, 1993,
while annually the pilgrims number more than one and a half million.
Hundreds of sick and disabled pilgrims have later reported miraculous
cures after their visit to the Shrine.

Note: The nature of the apparition appeared staged and
artificial. The figures were two-dimensional and frozen as if in the
process of interacting, but were motionless. Sceptics suggested a "Magic
Lantern" (an early form of projector) had been used and this was further
suggested by the bright circular light surrounding the figures. This is
further suggested by the time of the event, evening, and the duration,
about two hours. A Professor of Science at Maynooth College tested and
concluded that the generation of the image by direct projection was
impossible, but in a 1987 British television documentary it was shown that
the placing of a shaving mirror under the church gable could have
reflected the image in a manner as to achieve the results which the
Professor had declared impossible. Also, similar appearances occurred on
the same church gable on three separate occasions 1 year later.